Apple's New Thing (iPod)

Re: Re: Re: any EQ?

----I think apple hit more of a double on this one. Before you pop that vein in your forehead remember this is a discussion forum... and we are discussing the new device. In my opinion this device is not ground breaking, its apples take on an mp3 jukebox.

I like it and if it were $200-$299 I'd buy one. But at $400 you are getting into the price range of a new computer.

My recently laid-off ass can't justify paying that much money for something that is slightly cooler that the competition but with a faster transfer and better design. I have a feeling the consumers being targeted with this device won't either.

 

naaah, this isn't a crowded market

http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/electronics/mp3.shtml

 

AAPL is going down fast!

Mmmm. APPL is already down $1.00...

Looks like the markets aren't looking too favorably on Apple's new forays into the digital device market.
Of course the iPod is cool, neat, whatever. You wouldn't expect anything less from Apple. But I agree with most on this forum. $400 is simply too much in the present economic climate. One other thing. I'd like to know what their margins for the iPod are...

 

Toooooo expensive piece of crap!!!

I said the Cube was overpriced and should cost $1200, this piece of Sh... should cost no more than $90.

Apple is selling a bunch of overpriced things like the TiBook that won't be resellable for more than $1300 in less than 6 month because it is not upgredable.

This iPod is for spoil rich kids with insane parents or an Apple fan as fannatic as a Taliban. It has good features but forget about getting it for $399!!!! Never, who gets that thing is a very stupid person.

Steve Jobs is under terrible consuling or is under too much pot. This propusal is not realistic at all. If Apple does something like this again is going down.

This unit may work for an audio engeneer to record some conference or rock band on the field in place of buying a expensive DAT machine, that is the only real good market this machinne is gonna have.

 

iPod is OK, but iTunes2 is better..

Ya, the Jukebox holds 4x more at the same price, but it's also so big it can't fit in a pocket (not practical for travel) and the method of interface (USB) is so slow that it would take only 46.6 hours to fill it.. Jukebox is a joke box.. iPod is expensive but WAAY more practical.

The best news here is:

iTunes2 is still free and it's on top of all the competition.. Now it burns MP3 format CDs (so you don't have to have an MP3 player to cart a lot of music around), finally supports an EQ (10 band-22 preset) with DSP ("sound enhancer") , can cross-fade between tracks, and burns CDs up to twice as fast as before.. that's more of an improvement to the Apple line-up to me. It takes killer software to sell good hardware. (About the only thing that iTunes2 doesn't have is skins.. but big deal.. it's very very functional!)

 

Ya know, kids...

I'll have to agree that "groundbreaking" wasn't the right word to use for this doodad.

HOWEVER...

It's got a pretty slick list of features when compared to other "large capacity" mp3 players out on the market:

o Faster transfer rates
o Auto-syncing
o Nice tiny size
o Battery charging over the file transfer interface

As well as when compared to the flash ram / memory stick players:

o Much larger capacity
o Better cost / capacity ratio
o All the reasons listed above

This thing could easily replace the crappy Rio 600 I currently own, were it not for the cost. I had been working on a way to save up cash for a Nomad Jukebox or something similar, as well as a carrying bag for it. Looks like I won't need the bag now...

 

I have no use for an Mp3 player.

My house has a CD player.
My car has a CD player.
My Mac has a CD player

I don't use headphones.

The iPod requires me to change my lifestyle to meet it's needs...

I need round holes, not square holes.

For $99 I might buy the toy, for $399? Why?

Doesn't a Mac with a CDR undermine the need for most of this? All that's left is the number of songs you can play and the ability to listen to all of them with headphones anywhere. Do I really need ALL my songs ALL the time?

uhm, no.

Won't last. Another Cube.

 

I'm out...

iPod... looks very cool, lots of storage, and some interesting new battery technology... now that could set the stage for other more interesting devices, but what a Huge pricetag! Lucky for me, I only own an iBook with USB. I don't even have to think about it - come to think of it neither do LOTS of other Mac owners, and yer average wintel folks. Yep a huge number of computer owners and music lovers won't have to lose any sleep tonight.

The only thing breakthrough may be the narrowness of this nich market.

 

Fatal Flaw...

Am I the only one who sees a fatal flaw with this "consumer" device... IT'S MAC-ONLY! For Apple to move a ton of these things off the shelf, it would have to also work well with PCs. Why limit yourself to selling a dedicated MP3 device to 5% of the PC market, when you could just as easily make it work with PCs and open yourself up to 100% of the PC market?

Especially at $399... Apple is selling into its existing user base without expanding to new markets, and by marketing an overpriced Mac-only MP3 player to the Mac audience, it will be inadvertently biting into future iBook and iMac upgrades because people don't have an unlimited amount of cash to spend on computers -- at some point, especially in this uncertain economy, people are going to make a choice and draw the line somewhere.

Yes, it's evolutionary as far as MP3 players go, but not revolutionary. You can't be revolutionary unless you can't sell it to everyone (i.e. PC and Mac users alike) and make the brand pervasive.

If it really wanted to hit a home-run, Apple would have kept the 5GB HD and MP3 functionality while adding a color LCD screen and Newton/Palm front-end functionality. Check out this Sony Palm/MP3 player for $499:

http://www.sonystyle.com/vaio/clie/peg_n760c_index.shtml

Apple could have bested them by adding a FireWire port and a 5GB hard drive, iTunes integration, Entourage/OSX synching, etc., and keeping the $399 price point. Now *that* would have been truly revolutionary!

In its current incarnation, the iPod will fail because it's being sold into a relatively small market, and due to its limited functionality and high price. It's another Cube, and I can't understand why it's so plainly obvious to us but not to Apple.

 

well that was fun

now if we just had an unveiling like that once per week ...

It's really not such of a big deal of a product but yes, I think apple does things better (though they do cost more), and they could expand their product line, and if they had a bunch of little gadgets like this maybe people wouldn't get so hyped.

I'm still holding out for a nice little apple pda (with a 5gb harddrive, that'd be nice)

 

...so close

5 gigs of storage - an mp3 player - firewire connectivity - Apple simplicity. But...

OPTICAL OUT? I mean, this is a digital device...

 

Re: Toooooo expensive piece of crap!!!

Um, what's a propusal? Am what does Steve's being crushed under cookware have to do with the price of tea in China, or the iPod for that matter? Does anyone really think this will stay at $400 for long? The ink on the press-release isn't even dry yet- why don't you folks relax, take a little breather, maybe leaf through a dictionary or Strunk and White's 'Elements of Style'... Folks predicted Volkswagen was crazy for bringing back the Beetle at $20000 too, and we see how poorly it caught on. Yes you can get a slightly less expensive machine to do slightly less, but when was the last time you saw a slick TV ad for Archos, or heard anyone comment on how easy it is to use their Rio? There's a lot to be said for finese in the personal electronics business, otherwise we would all be listening to those great Roadmaster car stereo's from Wal-Mart and using those swank Rolodex e-Organizers...

 

you, sir, are a fat slob

How do I know you're a fat slob? Because you think music only goes with you in your car or at home. Ever thought abour running outside or working out at the gym?

Currently, I have a iPaq PA-1. It's small and nifty but the biggest problem is that it only holds 64Megs of songs and it takes forever to download those songs.

The iPod is the perfect solution because I can load 5 Gigs onto it and it wont take 4 hours to do it. The battery life is great as well.

Cant wait to get one. And while it's been pointed out that the flaw is that it doesnt work with PCs... well..... look at it as an opportunity. Now I have to get the Ti powerbook i've been lusting after.

 

ibook

I AM SORRY TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT.

But maybe someone can help me -

I am tempted by an iBook - and even more by its capability to be linked to a TV for DVD movies or a bigger screen ....

Has anyone tested this any can tell me about the quality ?
Is it worth it or should I forget about this option ?????

If nobody can answer maybe there is a forum you know I can go to to have some kind of answer ...

Thanx

 

ibook

yes, you can connect an ibook to a big screen tv to watch dvd movies; however, you will need a AV cable ($15 from apple) to do it.
I do this all the time at friend's and family's houses, it's great

 

my money is on

ipod being windows compatible by launch. It just doesn't economically make sense to me otherwise that apple would launch into a limited market...

this raises the possibility of itunes becoming windows compatible as well. Following in Quicktime's footsteps. Why not? er... besides the rather formidable competition on that side of the fence. And that it doesn't help sell macs. Ok, I don't understand.

 

Hey Fragile,
I think you've got some good points but you're also a moron if you think that the Jukebox is a better deal. Let's compare:

Ipod Nomad
Price $399 $399

Size(WxHxD): 4" x 2.4" x .75" 5" x 5" x 1.5"
Winner: Ipod at half the size

Weight: 6.5 oz 14 oz (w/o batt.)
Winner: Ipod at less than half the weight

Battery Life: 10hrs 4hrs
Winner: Ipod with 2.5x playing time

Capacity: 5GB 20GB
Winner: Ok at half the size the ipod should have 10gigs

Memory: 32mb cache 8mb DRAM
Winner: Ipod

Interface: Firewire USB
Winner: duh... Ipod

Sure as hell looks to me like Ipod kicks ass against the competition. Moreover if you think the Nomad is reasonably priced then the Ipod is a bargain in comparison. Granted it should have a bigger HD but the given all the other advantages I think it's a reasonable trade off.

 

Like someone said before...

I agree, the iPod is too expensive for most people to purchase it. However, it does look like Apple is heading in the right direction:
5 GB Mini-Hard Drive
FireWire in a small device
etc.
Hopefully we will see an Apple PDA in the near future.

 

I would

I would actually buy one of these - if they were $199...maybe even at $299 'cause I need a firewire drive that looks cool - but $399! (gulp).

I 'm definitely gonna get one...in a few months...off eBay...

 

Things you can't do with a Mac

Apple introduced the "Digital Hub" strategy to show the critics that there are not many things you cannot do on a Mac... and there are some that you can ONLY do on a Mac. This strategy helped boost Apple hardware sales quite a bit.

But what's going on now? Of all the things you still cannot do on a Mac, using MP3 players is definitely not one! For crying out loud: Apple has been selling Rios and other devices in the AppleStore for quite a while now. So this new "groundbreaking" device is definitely not going to sell on single Mac.

Instead how about starting a collection of things you still cannot do on your Mac - or you wish you could do more easily. How about:
- Better support for mobile phones? Maybe a phone with AirPort technology instead of Bluetooth? Or one which also syncs with your Mac instead of Windows only.
- A better PDA (Palm is a joke compared to the famos N-word)
- Better server hardware! Compare those Mac Servers to a Cobald Linux server and you'll start to cry...
- Better server software! MacOS X is great. Now please improve the Server Admin software. At the moment it's almost useless!
- And so on...

You see: There are plenty of things that would help push Apple hardware sales. A better and much pricier MP3 player is definitely not one of them!

 

Oh...my...god. I can only shake my head and smile in amazement at you people. What a bunch of doom and gloom cynic crybaby beeotches. Am i in a mac forum? I had to check about a hundred times. The ipod is sick. Do you all think it is so easy to come up with a product that simply is better than the rest? All you friggin brats want some fire breathing super virtual reality teleportation PDA that you seen captain kirk had on episode 145? sheesh...this mp3 player is a hundred times better than every mp3 player out there. period. the price is a bit high just because its a new product. they need the cash to keep you crybaby closet MS lovers happy with new products (they are in the business to make money ya know?) You all blame apple for the hype? its your own damn fault you think they are coming out with a time travel device or some ****. i dont know why i bother reading this crap sometimes. i wish we could filter out all the fools that do nothing but moan and groan about everything in front of their faces. everything...not just apple computers new products. your just bitches.

 

My pennies worth

Seems to me most of the views expressed here are very polarized. Black/white, yes/no, all good/all bad etc. Wonder if that's nationality- or age-based. Anyway.

I've been interested in replacing my discman for quite some time; it skips too much and doesn't easily fit in my pockets. Here's why I haven't replaced it with the following alternatives:

1) MD player. They say it doesn't skip, but ... Lots of little discs to keep track of. Only ATRAC (compression).

2) Rio-type MP3 player. Because I want to be able to take a minimum of, say, ten albums/hours of music with me. I won't use it only while biking to work, but also for weekends away and even holidays. Like I use my discman. Well, ten gigabyte in 128 megabyte cards ...

3) Harddrive-based MP3 players. Nomed Jukebox, the Archos machine. This is the closest I've come to something satisfactory, but they seem too big and heavy. Maybe the Archos, I haven't held it. Too expensive.

1, 2 and 3) Going away to the beach for the weekend in a few hours, but I've only got Sepultura, Entombed and Nine inch nails on my ten gigabytes of storage. Tell me, how do I get ten gigabytes of reggae (beach music) on there in a reasonable time over USB?

iPod: From my point of view, based on my needs, it's got everything except a decent price. It's small enough to fit in my shirt pocket, it stores enough music and it's got fast transfer. Present support for several compression formats and future support for new ones via firmware upgrades seems like a big plus.

Like someone said: not revolutionary, but evolutionary. Recording would've been sweet, but hey, this is iPod 1.0, yes?

So, basically, I'll get a used one in a year or so.

Now, Steve, bring on the iNewt.

 

whats left

no doubt about it - the ipod it great. its the best MP3 player out there. asidie from price, its still a little beast. nothing can hold a candle in the wind (that is until dell comes up with the iPoo to compete then ends up canning the product). but apples not done in my eyes. and i know they feel the same way.

- reintro of a PDA - one that its mainly around the mac. highly functional and also uses this lipolymer battery. that would really help out.

- combo drives all around and god please help out the little ailing iMacs...

- something telephony related...

apples purchase of raycer graphics still hasnt panned out anything... and wahts this Gigawire ? still no results...

just me thinking thats all

---
jai

 

Trial Run Perhaps

What better way to prepare for the launch of a new and truly outstanding pda... the kind we all lust for... than by releasing a demi version to public for a test run. We all play around with the ipod for a bit, scream bloody murder about what we really wanted, and apple quietly takes notes. After a few months of use apple gets a feel for the pulse of the consuming public, their slick scroll wheel gets put to the physical test along with the general construction of the device as a whole and with some quality feedback under their belt, apple engineers and designers can finalize a superior product. I'm holding off for now but I expect this to be the start of something very good

 

Give your ear wig a life

Gee , you've got music everywhere you go...oooohhh boy!

When I walk I don't need music, when I train in Ninjutsu I don't need music and when I jog I don't need music.

Must be rap music to give you that attitude...

Take the ear-phones off the ear wig needs out dude.


_________________________________________
you, sir, are a fat slob

How do I know you're a fat slob? Because you think music only goes with you in your car or at home. Ever thought abour running outside or working out at the gym?

Currently, I have a iPaq PA-1. It's small and nifty but the biggest problem is that it only holds 64Megs of songs and it takes forever to download those songs.

The iPod is the perfect solution because I can load 5 Gigs onto it and it wont take 4 hours to do it. The battery life is great as well.

Cant wait to get one. And while it's been pointed out that the flaw is that it doesnt work with PCs... well..... look at it as an opportunity. Now I have to get the Ti powerbook i've been lusting after.